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. 2025 May 11;17(10):1640.
doi: 10.3390/nu17101640.

Socioeconomic and Health-Related Determinants of Eating Habits in Polish Caucasian Older Population-The Nationwide PolSenior2 Study Results

Hanna Kujawska-Danecka  1 , Jolanta A Dardzińska  2 , Małgorzata Mossakowska  3 , Monika Puzianowska-Kuźnicka  4   5 , Aleksandra Kaluźniak-Szymanowska  6 , Sylwia Małgorzewicz  2 , Edyta Wernio  2 , Jerzy Chudek  7
Affiliations

Socioeconomic and Health-Related Determinants of Eating Habits in Polish Caucasian Older Population-The Nationwide PolSenior2 Study Results

Hanna Kujawska-Danecka et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background/objectives: Adherence to a healthy diet may increase the chance of healthy aging. This study's objective was to evaluate the nutritional quality of the diet and socioeconomic and health-related correlations of adherence to a healthy diet in older individuals.

Methods: This analysis was part of the PolSenior2 project, which comprised 5987 respondents aged ≥60 years, representatives of the community-dwelling Polish population. Eating habits were categorized according to the Senior Healthy Diet Index (SHDI), with a score between 0 and 100 points, based on the 42-item food frequency questionnaire filled out by participants. Higher adherence to the SHDI was defined as fulfilling at least five components.

Results: The mean SHDI score was significantly higher in women, 58.5 ± 11.7, compared to men (55.8 ± 11.8); p < 0.001. Only 0.7% of respondents were fully adherent to dietary recommendations (fulfilling at least eight of ten SHDI components). In univariate analysis, a lower prevalence of typical geriatric problems (functional impairment, dementia, depression, falls, frailty, visual impairment, lack of functional dentition) and an additional occurrence of diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure in men were significantly correlated with higher compliance with SHDI recommendations. According to multivariate regression analysis, female sex, higher education level, regular physical activity, functional dentition, diabetes, and the absence of depression or dementia were factors most strongly associated with better adherence to a healthy diet.

Conclusions: Full adherence to dietary recommendations in Polish seniors is rare. Aging-related diseases correlate in various ways with better eating habits. Especially, men are more likely to choose a healthy diet when signs of deterioration appear.

Keywords: eating habits; healthy aging; healthy diet; nutritional status; older persons.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The number of respondents who implemented a particular number of components.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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